Horn



E. J. GULICK June A10, '1930.

BORN

Filed Feb. 15, 19294 akta: m

Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWABD J. GULICK, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 C. G. CONN, L'I'D., OF ELK- HAB'T, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA HOBN Application flled February 15, 1929. Serial No. 340,033.

This invention relates to Wind musical instruments, and especially to heavy horns which are wholly supported upon the shoulder of the player.

The largest types of bass horns, generally known as sousaphones, weigh from twenty five to fifty and sixty pounds, and this weight is carried wholly upon the shoulder of the player. And inasmuch as the branch portion of the horn which actually engages the playerls shoulder, is much smaller in diameter than other portions of the instrument body, the weight of the horn becomes burdensome and frequently painful to the player.

The principal object of this invention is tolprovide a cushion or saddle for a heavy horn which is supported wholly upon the shoulder of the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible horn saddle or cushion for supporting the horn weight on the playerls shoulder.

Other objects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a heavy bass horn of conventional design;

Fig. 2 illustrates an enlarged view in side elevation of a fragment of the horn branch and showing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fi. 2; and

ig. 4 is a fragment illustrating a, plan view of the swivel connection between the saddle element and the swivel bracket.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawing.

Referring to the details of the drawing the numeral 1 indicat-es a bass horn of the well known heavy design which when in use is supported upon one shoulder of the player, as is Well known in the art. The horn is provided with the usual curved intermediate branch section 2, the inner periphery whereof has the flexible saddle element 3 mounted thereon said saddle or cushion element being connected with and carried by the backet elements 4 and 5 which. are secured in any suitable manner to the inner periphery of the curved branch section. The saddle or cushion element 3 may be made of any suitable flexible material such as leather, webbing, or the like, and is preferably wider than the diameter of the branch 2 to effect a substantial area of engagement with the playerls shoulder, whereby the discomfort of the instrument weight is reduced to a minimum.

The saddle or cushion 3 may be swivelly connected with the brackets 4 and 5, the hook 6 which is swivelly mounted in bracket 5, supporting one end thereof, the opposite end of the saddle being connected with a hook 7 which is similar to hook G, and which may form an integral part of the pin 8, the latter having slidable engagement in a bearing aperture 9 formed in bracket 4 and through which said pin passes. The numeral 10 indicates a thumb-nut which is screw threaded upon the outer end of the pin 8 and which functions to prevent dislodgement of the pin from its bearing aperture 9 and which is also adjustable longitudinally of said pin to tighten or loosen the saddle three.

It is understood that I do not desire to be limited to the particular details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications Will occui` to one skilled in the particular art.

I claim:

1. The combination with a wind musical instrument of the character described, of a non-metallic saddle or cushion element mounted upon the instrument body and engaging the playerls shoulder When the instrument is in use.

2. The combination with a Wind musical instrument of the character described, of a flexible non-metallic saddle or cushion element mounted upon the instrument body and engaging the playerls shoulder when the instrument is in use.

8. The combination with a horn of the Character described, of a fiexible non-metallic saddle or cushion element swively conice nected With the instrument body and engaging the player7s shoulder When the instrument is in use.

4. The combination With a. horn of the character described, of a fiexible non-metallic saddle or cushion element connected With the inner periphery of a curved portion of the instrument body and engaging the playerls shoulder when the instrument is in use, and means for adjusting the tension of said saddle or cushion element.

5. The combination With a` horn of the character described, of a flexible non-metallic saddle or cushion element sWiVelly connected at its opposite ends with the inner periphery of a curved portion of the instrument body and engaging the shoulder of the player When the instrument is in use, and screw means for adjusting the tension of ;aid saddle or cushion element.

6. The combination With the tubular Curved body of a Wind musical instrument of the Character described, of a. fiexible, nonmetallic strip-like support-mg element having its opposite ends connected With the inner periphery of the instrument body curved portion.

7. The combination With the tubular Curved body of a wind musical instrument of the Character described, of a flexible, non-metallic, strip-like supporting element having its opposite ends swivelly connected With the inner periphery of the instrument body curved portion.

EDVARD J. GULICK. 

